Research Question: How successful are assessments in improving student achievement?
Contributed by: Chloe Blau
I. Scholarly Article
Henning, J. E. (2006, Summer). Teacher Leaders at Work: Analyzing Standardized Achievement Data to Improve Instruction. Education (Chula Vista, Calif.). Retrieved from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.helin.uri.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/search_history/mywweb.jhtml.12 Summary: This article is about a study that was conducted by twenty-four elementary and middle school teacher leaders. The purpose was to analyze standardized achievement testscores, utilizing four different approaches: comparing to the norm, analyzing trends, correlating data, and disaggregating data.The study was conducted in order to improvestudent learning. The article beings by saying that testing was once used for the benefit of the students by means of correct placement and justification of funding. But now thatthese test scores are being used as a means of judging students, teachers, and schools, the students are not being thought of as much. The article talks about how thedifferent teacher leaders studies the material given by using the different approaches, and how studies in the future can be improved and used more to help the students. It alsobreaks students down into various sub-groups, and touches on how those sub-groups perform. The article discusses, for example, how the majority of African-Americanstudents are below the 40th percentile. Overall, major changes need to be made to standardized tests in order for students to benefit from them. Reaction:I very much agree with what this article has to say. I think that in the beginning, standardized tests were put in place in order to help the student gain more out of theireducation, but now they do nothing but stress out the performing students, and stress out the schools who worry about their lower performing students. The study shows thatthe standardized test aren't really benefiting anyone at this point; schools overall seem to be perofrming poorly or average, which creates a bad reflection of them, and studentsare not learning anything from the testing. Also, teachers now are so heavily emphasizing the tests that they neglect what the students should be learning, leaving the studentsto once again miss out on a better education.
Summary: This digest is all about using the results from standardized tests to guide and improve teacher instruction and intervention and overall student learning. It starts out by saying that standardized tests results can be very overwhelming, and in order to avoid this feeling, there are two approaches that people can take in order to use the data for good: revise instruction and curriculum for entire classes or courses, or to develop specific learning strategies for individual students. For both techniques, the digest provides detailed examples and helpful information. Overall, although standardized tests may not be the best teaching measure for students, there are new and constructive that educators can handle the information for the test and better improve the students learning.
Reaction:
I agree with this as well. After reading it over a few times, I realized that it contained very helpful and useful information and that there actually are constructive ways to use the data from testing. For example, if a class takes a test and the majority of students aren't proficient in a particular area, the teacher receives that information and therefore knows what to focus on with their students. I personally think that more educators should have their hands on the information provided in this digest; I think it would give them ways to better use the information that they are getting from test scores.
Martin, M., & Taylor, K. (2009, Spring). Beyond Looking: Using Data to Coach for Instructional Improvement. Horace. Retrieved from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.helin.uri.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/search_history/mywweb.jhtml.12Summary: Similar to the last resource mentioned, this ERIC digest talks about test scores from an economically and ethnically diverse learning environment, and how the instructors inthis environment can better take advantage of their resources and the information that they are given and come up with more efficient ways to teach. The digest uses a numberof data sets, disaggregated for factors such as gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, content, and grade levels. The most important piece of the entire digest is that theinstructors force the teachers to do what they want them to do with their students on a daily basis: reflect and respond on thought and discussion-provoking data and act onmaking changes that will better suit a student's education. This information really forces the educators to not only analyze the data that they are given, but to come up with newand creative ways to alter their testing to aid students. Reaction:I think that the information presented in this digest is very useful to educators. I think that the resources that are made available to schools, such as these digests should betaken advantage of and used to help the schools better prepare the students for their tests. This digest is similar to the previous digest, so overall I had the same reaction to it.I think the fact that the teachers are somewhat forced to reflect and discuss the information and data from the testing helps them to better understand where their students arehaving trouble, and more importantly, what they can in turn do to help them. A teacher's #1 job is to prepare their students for what is ahead and assist them in getting throughtheir education, and studies like these make sure teachers do this job.
Summary:
This editorial is all about presenting the authors views on the assessment of student achievement in the United States using international tests. It also debates the performance of the United States' students on international test and talks about the determination of what a curriculum should be. The international testing shows that U.S. students do either better the same or better as other students all around the world. Although this is shown, the editorial raises an important question: Are the test scores in and of themselves truly viable for making judgments about schooling and student performance? It discusses the argument that educators make that there is nothing they can do about the implication of these testing measures, and overall, takes the stance that we MUST take advantage of the information from this mandatory testing to better teach the students and prepare them for education after high school.
Reaction:
I completely with Poetter on this issue. The issue that he talks about is definitely correct; there may be nothing that people can do about having to take the tests and prepare students for the tests, but that doesn't mean there is nothing that schools can do to BETTER prepare the students. Schools can always learn and improve, and these standardized tests shouldn't be looked at so negatively, especially if there is nothing that one can do about taking them. People need to stop dwelling on the fact that students aren't performing as well as possible, and focus their energy on helping the students improve their scores. All of that energy that is used arguing the tests can be put to better use.
Summary:
This analysis article talks about the use of formative assessments to help improve classroom performance and student achievement. The article states that little attention is paid to classroom performance when reform initiatives are introduced. The authors argue that the responsibility for classroom performance should not be left to the teacher alone, and that assistance should come from the administration and educational programs as well. This article calls for a proposal and says that the use of formative assessment is important so that teachers know what the students are learning and how they are learning. The article ends by saying that the standards that are set can only be met and raised by changes, and the changes should be made based on the information received from testing results.
Reaction:
Once again, I agree with this article. Personally, I've had to take formative and summative assessments in high school, and I found the formative assessments were not only helpful to the teacher and administration, but to the student as well. Standardized tests are so unlike every other test that a student takes in schools that sometimes student freeze up on them because it's not what they might be used to. Having a formative in place is, in essence, a practice run for a student. It helps get used to the formative, timing, and flow of the test so that they can do better when it comes to the exam that actually counts. The majority of the articles I've read say the same thing, which is that schools NEED to take advantage of the information that they are receiving and they're not.
So... how successful ARE these assessments in improving student achievement?
Using the information that I've received from the five articles, I would have to say that they are unsuccessful. The thing to remember about standardized testing is that students have to take the tests no matter how hard they fight against them. The important thing for students is to be positive about them; the results should be used to benefit the student. The problem that most of the studies find is that people have the data from the tests, but don't know the next step and can't figure out how to use the data. The results from the tests should be used to mold and modify teaching strategies, whether they be for a class in general, or more specific to an individual student. These types of tests are designed to portray strengths and weaknesses in a student, and knowing that, the schools should tailor education to what the students need assistance with. I believe that the assessments are not yet successful in improving student achievement, but working on getting to that point. Pointing out the flaws and cracks in a curriculum is one thing, but fixing those cracks and aiding the students in getting a better education is another issue. School districts all over the country are working on improving their strategies for testing and meeting standards, but until that time, these tests are not as successful in improving student achievement as they could be.
Research Question: How successful are assessments in improving student achievement?
Contributed by: Chloe Blau
I. Scholarly Article
Henning, J. E. (2006, Summer). Teacher Leaders at Work: Analyzing Standardized Achievement Data to Improve Instruction. Education (Chula Vista, Calif.). Retrieved from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.helin.uri.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/search_history/mywweb.jhtml.12
Summary: This article is about a study that was conducted by twenty-four elementary and middle school teacher leaders. The purpose was to analyze standardized achievement testscores, utilizing four different approaches: comparing to the norm, analyzing trends, correlating data, and disaggregating data.The study was conducted in order to improvestudent learning. The article beings by saying that testing was once used for the benefit of the students by means of correct placement and justification of funding. But now thatthese test scores are being used as a means of judging students, teachers, and schools, the students are not being thought of as much. The article talks about how thedifferent teacher leaders studies the material given by using the different approaches, and how studies in the future can be improved and used more to help the students. It alsobreaks students down into various sub-groups, and touches on how those sub-groups perform. The article discusses, for example, how the majority of African-Americanstudents are below the 40th percentile. Overall, major changes need to be made to standardized tests in order for students to benefit from them.
Reaction:I very much agree with what this article has to say. I think that in the beginning, standardized tests were put in place in order to help the student gain more out of theireducation, but now they do nothing but stress out the performing students, and stress out the schools who worry about their lower performing students. The study shows thatthe standardized test aren't really benefiting anyone at this point; schools overall seem to be perofrming poorly or average, which creates a bad reflection of them, and studentsare not learning anything from the testing. Also, teachers now are so heavily emphasizing the tests that they neglect what the students should be learning, leaving the studentsto once again miss out on a better education.
II. ERIC
Mertier, C. (2002). Using Standardized Test Data To Guide Instruction and Intervention. ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation. Retrieved from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.helin.uri.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/search_history/mywweb.jhtml.12
Summary: This digest is all about using the results from standardized tests to guide and improve teacher instruction and intervention and overall student learning. It starts out by saying that standardized tests results can be very overwhelming, and in order to avoid this feeling, there are two approaches that people can take in order to use the data for good: revise instruction and curriculum for entire classes or courses, or to develop specific learning strategies for individual students. For both techniques, the digest provides detailed examples and helpful information. Overall, although standardized tests may not be the best teaching measure for students, there are new and constructive that educators can handle the information for the test and better improve the students learning.Reaction:
I agree with this as well. After reading it over a few times, I realized that it contained very helpful and useful information and that there actually are constructive ways to use the data from testing. For example, if a class takes a test and the majority of students aren't proficient in a particular area, the teacher receives that information and therefore knows what to focus on with their students. I personally think that more educators should have their hands on the information provided in this digest; I think it would give them ways to better use the information that they are getting from test scores.
Martin, M., & Taylor, K. (2009, Spring). Beyond Looking: Using Data to Coach for Instructional Improvement. Horace. Retrieved from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.helin.uri.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/search_history/mywweb.jhtml.12 Summary: Similar to the last resource mentioned, this ERIC digest talks about test scores from an economically and ethnically diverse learning environment, and how the instructors inthis environment can better take advantage of their resources and the information that they are given and come up with more efficient ways to teach. The digest uses a numberof data sets, disaggregated for factors such as gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, content, and grade levels. The most important piece of the entire digest is that theinstructors force the teachers to do what they want them to do with their students on a daily basis: reflect and respond on thought and discussion-provoking data and act onmaking changes that will better suit a student's education. This information really forces the educators to not only analyze the data that they are given, but to come up with newand creative ways to alter their testing to aid students.
Reaction:I think that the information presented in this digest is very useful to educators. I think that the resources that are made available to schools, such as these digests should betaken advantage of and used to help the schools better prepare the students for their tests. This digest is similar to the previous digest, so overall I had the same reaction to it.I think the fact that the teachers are somewhat forced to reflect and discuss the information and data from the testing helps them to better understand where their students arehaving trouble, and more importantly, what they can in turn do to help them. A teacher's #1 job is to prepare their students for what is ahead and assist them in getting throughtheir education, and studies like these make sure teachers do this job.
III. Editorial
Poetter, T. S. (n.d.). International Assessment of Student Achievement. Retrieved from http://0-web.ebscohost.com.helin.uri.edu/ehost/detail?vid=15&hid=108&sid=241b3895-e384-4c4f-bdef-d6403e7b21ce%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=390519Summary:
This editorial is all about presenting the authors views on the assessment of student achievement in the United States using international tests. It also debates the performance of the United States' students on international test and talks about the determination of what a curriculum should be. The international testing shows that U.S. students do either better the same or better as other students all around the world. Although this is shown, the editorial raises an important question: Are the test scores in and of themselves truly viable for making judgments about schooling and student performance? It discusses the argument that educators make that there is nothing they can do about the implication of these testing measures, and overall, takes the stance that we MUST take advantage of the information from this mandatory testing to better teach the students and prepare them for education after high school.
Reaction:
I completely with Poetter on this issue. The issue that he talks about is definitely correct; there may be nothing that people can do about having to take the tests and prepare students for the tests, but that doesn't mean there is nothing that schools can do to BETTER prepare the students. Schools can always learn and improve, and these standardized tests shouldn't be looked at so negatively, especially if there is nothing that one can do about taking them. People need to stop dwelling on the fact that students aren't performing as well as possible, and focus their energy on helping the students improve their scores. All of that energy that is used arguing the tests can be put to better use.
IV. Analysis Article
Black, P., & William, D. (n.d.). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment. Phi Delta Kappan. Retrieved from http://0-web.ebscohost.com.helin.uri.edu/ehost/detail?vid=17&hid=108&sid=241b3895-e384-4c4f-bdef-d6403e7b21ce%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=53482391#db=a9h&AN=53482391
Summary:
This analysis article talks about the use of formative assessments to help improve classroom performance and student achievement. The article states that little attention is paid to classroom performance when reform initiatives are introduced. The authors argue that the responsibility for classroom performance should not be left to the teacher alone, and that assistance should come from the administration and educational programs as well. This article calls for a proposal and says that the use of formative assessment is important so that teachers know what the students are learning and how they are learning. The article ends by saying that the standards that are set can only be met and raised by changes, and the changes should be made based on the information received from testing results.
Reaction:
Once again, I agree with this article. Personally, I've had to take formative and summative assessments in high school, and I found the formative assessments were not only helpful to the teacher and administration, but to the student as well. Standardized tests are so unlike every other test that a student takes in schools that sometimes student freeze up on them because it's not what they might be used to. Having a formative in place is, in essence, a practice run for a student. It helps get used to the formative, timing, and flow of the test so that they can do better when it comes to the exam that actually counts. The majority of the articles I've read say the same thing, which is that schools NEED to take advantage of the information that they are receiving and they're not.
So... how successful ARE these assessments in improving student achievement?
Using the information that I've received from the five articles, I would have to say that they are unsuccessful. The thing to remember about standardized testing is that students have to take the tests no matter how hard they fight against them. The important thing for students is to be positive about them; the results should be used to benefit the student. The problem that most of the studies find is that people have the data from the tests, but don't know the next step and can't figure out how to use the data. The results from the tests should be used to mold and modify teaching strategies, whether they be for a class in general, or more specific to an individual student. These types of tests are designed to portray strengths and weaknesses in a student, and knowing that, the schools should tailor education to what the students need assistance with. I believe that the assessments are not yet successful in improving student achievement, but working on getting to that point. Pointing out the flaws and cracks in a curriculum is one thing, but fixing those cracks and aiding the students in getting a better education is another issue. School districts all over the country are working on improving their strategies for testing and meeting standards, but until that time, these tests are not as successful in improving student achievement as they could be.